The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-26
PRICE SIO A YEAR.
o CENTS A COPY. I
C0NVICTS FLAYED ALIVE.
GOV. GORDON JUMPS TO THEIR AID
IN A RAGE.

Why Their Rights Should Not Be
Forfeited - The Proper Authorities
Ordered to Prosecute the Inhuman
Whipping Boss.
ATLANTA, GA, Aug. 25-The sensation
here to-day has been an executive order
issued by Gov. Gordon calling on Peniten-
tiary Companies 2 and TO show cause
Sept. l why their lease contracts should not
be cancelled and annuled. The trouble
grows out of gross mismanagement Of the
convict camp near Griffin, having 100 con-
victs, with C. c. Bingham as superintendent
and whipping boss. Complaints havr been
made Of this camp for some time, but Tues
day the Governor received communica-
tion signed "Convicts,n alleging the most
iuhuman cruelty of Bingham and asking
him to send to the camp and investigate.
The Governor sent Messrs. Towers and
Shubrick at once. They found the charges
true -Four of the convicts had been
stretched over barrels and whipped till
almost flayed and two others showed the
effects of similar treatment, all of which
the Superintendent made no effort to Justify
except partially in one case. The officials
reported to the Governor last night, who
Immediately issued an order dscharging
DHShdill, anu oIuerllB lufbueT lilhb Hd
should never be employed by the leSsees in
any capacity in the management of convicts
or convict camps. G. A. Redd, of Columbus,
was appointed to supply the place tempo
rarily. This order was executed this morn
ing and the camp taken charge of by the
State.
ORDERED PROSECUTED.
Following this, the Governor this morn
ing issued the following additional order:
STATE OF GEoRGIA,
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
ATLANTA, Ga, Aug. 25, 1881.
Whereas official information has been re-
ceived at this department that on or about Aug.
49, certain eonvicts at work on the Georgia
Midland Railroad In Spalding county, wero
beaten and inhumanly whipped by @. G. Bing-
ham, whipping boss for said eonviets' It is or or.
penitentary, or his assistant, at once
take steps TO prosecute said Bing-
ham for said inhuman treatment by
sueing ont q warrant against said Bingham for
said oifense, and that the Solicitor General OF
the Flint circnit be requested to bring the mat
ter to the attention of the grand jury OF Spald-
ing county at the next session OF the Superior
Court of said county.
1t is further ordered that penitentiary COM
pany Nos. and be cited to appear at the
Executive office at 10 O'Clock Thursday morn
ing, the first day Of September next, to show
cause why the contracts with the State for the
lease of convicts should not be annulled and
| that w. B. Lowe, President of Penitentiary
| Company No. 2, and w. d. Grant, President of
| Company No. 3, and also ]. w. English. Acting
| President Of PenltentiarJ Company No. 4, each
| he furnished with copy OF this order five days
before said hearing. 1t is further ordered that
the Solicitor General of the Atlanta
Circuit be requested to institute.
slit in the name Of the State the bond of said
Penitentiary Companies Nos, and 8 to recover
damages for the cruelty inflicted on said con-
vcts as aforesaid and that he institute said suit
without unnecessary delay, ana that SAID Soiici-
tor General be furnished with a copy of this
order. JoBH B. GORDON Governor.
CAPT. LOWE SEEN.
MessTs. English and Grant were out Of
the city, but a copy of the order was served
on Mr.. Lowe this afternoon. He said to the
NEWS correspondent that he had no appre-
hension of the effect of the order on his
company. His defense will be that Bingham
was appointed by Company No 3, was
ratified by the Governor, and that Company
No. 2 had nothing to do with it. True, some
of tho victims of Bingham's cruelty
belonged to Company No. 2, but he
did not think the company could be
held responsible. He did not think either of
the companies could be held responsible or
liable 10 the extent of forfeiture of the lease,
as such abuses could not always be pre-
vented in time by tho lessees. The law pro-
vides the punishment for Bingham's offense,
and he ought to be prosecuted.
The Governor issued an additional order
this afternoon directing William Turner,
the penitentiary guard, 10 go to Griffin and
take charge of the camp as agent of the
State till further orders and make daily re-
ports. DR.. Westmoreland, the principal
physician, was also ordered there to-day
and is ut the camp tonight. Bingham has
already been arrested in all probability as
the warrant has been sworn out by principal
keeper Towers.
GEN. KELL EXPLAINS.
There has been some criticism of the Ad-
iutant General by certain military compa-
MES that while negro companies receivedan
invitation TO the Philadelphia centennial
celebration, they were ignored. Adjt. Gen.
Kell said to the NEWS correspondent to-day
that the fault Is with the battalion COM
manders. Where there were battalion or
ganizations military etiquette required tha
invitation sent TO the battalion commanders
instead of the Captains, and by them COM
municated to the companies. In case of un-
attached companies, as is the case with the
negro companies, the invitation is sent to
them direct. Adjt. Gen. Kel said it would
not be great while before every company
in the state would be put in a battalion.
Gen Kell has received from the War De-
partment an invoice for forty rifles and ac-
coutrements for the Hancock Vanguards,
for which a requlsition was made some
time ago. Application has Teen made for
permission 10 organize negro company in
Sparta. IL was refused, because the COM
plement OF negro companies is full.
Judge Hall has been removed to Mt.
Airy, and reports to-day indicate that his
condition Is unchanged.
A. Day was booked tonight for violating
the prohibition law by selling liquor ut his
wine room ON Alabama street.
The country home of Col. Prior Mynatt,
near Decatur, was destroyed by fire this
morning. Nothing was saved. The house,
Including the furniture, was valued at
Sl2.0O0. Ii was insured for about $1,000.
All the policies OF insurance were burned in
the building. The family narrowly escaped
with their lives. Col Mynatt thinks the
fire was the work of an incendiary. The
probability is that he will rebuild.